A carbon monoxide leak at the Vineyard Town Center Starbucks forced the coffee shop to close briefly while surrounded by emergency crews Tuesday morning, according to authorities.
The Morgan Hill dispatch center received a call about 10 a.m. from employees at Starbucks, 251 Vineyard Town Center, reporting they were feeling nauseated and suffering from headaches.
Fire crews responded and used gas detection equipment to determine a carbon monoxide leak was emanating from a faulty water heater inside Starbucks, according to South Santa Clara County Fire District Captain Gilbert Rodriguez.
Employees of the coffee shop and neighboring shops in the shopping center were evacuated, and the parking lot in front of Starbucks was cleared while PG&E personnel helped isolate the source of the gas leak, Rodriguez said.
“The employees did the right thing” by calling the fire department, Rodriguez said. The risk of a fire was not significant during the incident, but the gas leak could have posed ongoing health risks if left unchecked.
“Carbon monoxide is more of a health issue – you can’t see it or smell it,” Rodriguez said.
Morgan Hill and South County Fire, as well as Morgan Hill police responded to the incident.
Rodriguez said it was likely Starbucks would remain closed for “a few hours” while staff resolved the faulty water heater and source of the gas leak.
Starbucks staff waiting outside for fire crews to clear the store referred requests for comment to the company’s corporate offices.
